vMA drop rate is still terrabad [Rant]

XaXa · July 2016

Idk if ill be on the weekly. Scored 444k in the beginning of the week and now im pushed to 93. Ill be cutting it close cause idk if ill be able to get on amd get a higher score before it ends.

Nifty2g · July 2016

XaXa wrote: »

Idk if ill be on the weekly. Scored 444k in the beginning of the week and now im pushed to 93. Ill be cutting it close cause idk if ill be able to get on amd get a higher score before it ends.

Weeklies are terrible anyway

NoMoreChillies · July 2016

Remove bind on pickup

GaldorP · July 2016

Going to shamelessly repost my suggestion for a token system here (add tokens as a new currency; send mail with reward tokens attached to player when the VMSA is completed; add NPC with token shop; add container items and complete items to shop; done):

How players could obtain tokens:

GaldorP wrote: »

- 10 tokens for each completion of Veteran Maelstrom Arena + up to 10 bonus tokens depending on how good your score was:
Completion with no score (not in one go): 10 tokens

Completion in one go with score below 75'000: 12 tokens

Score of 75'000-149'999: 14 tokens

Score of 150'000-224'999: 16 tokens

Score of 225'000-299'999: 18 tokens

Score of 300'000 or higher: 20 tokens

Rewards that could be purchased with tokens:

GaldorP wrote: »

Turn in 10 tokens for a bound container item with the same RNG mechanics the final chest in VMSA has now (for those who like to gamble).

Turn in 200* tokens for a bound container item that includes a Maelstrom Weapon with the type of your choice (for example one-handed axe or bow or inferno staff) but with a random trait (for those who like to gamble a bit less; this requires between 10 and 20 completions of VMSA depending on the player's scores).

Turn in 1'200** tokens for a Maelstrom Weapon of your choice (you get to choose the weapon type and trait) (for those who want a guaranteed reward they desire; this requires between 60 and 120 completions of VMSA depending on the player's scores).

* in DB there will be a 50% chance to get a Maelstrom Weapon from the final chest and there's 10 different weapon types for Maelstrom Weapons if I'm not mistaken -> 1/20 chance to get a weapon of a specific type.
** Assuming that Maelstrom Weapons can have 6 different traits in DB, the chance to get the Maelstrom Weapon you want with the trait you want from the final chest is 1/120.

More/other rewards that can be bought with tokens or possibly other ways to earn tokens could be added at any point in a later update if needed.

I also think that all normal set items obtained from Maelstrom Arena chests (not the Maelstrom Weapons!) should really be tradable (bind on equip).

OGLezard · July 2016

how about, instead of a token system, a vendor who allows you to trade items to them that you received from the run you just did. He will then "enchant" them, turning them into something else for a fee of course. What they turn into is random.

So if you give him a vma weapon you get a shot at aother vma weapon but only one "reroll" per item. The set items younget can also be done the same way but also offer a chance to get a vma weapon, albeit a low chance, something like 5% and just like the one roll per item, it applies to sets as well.

If you leave the arena zone, not the actual arena, or log out, those items obtained are now flagged as not tradeable to that npc.

The npc could always be there so if you cant complete the arena you can still trade your items to them

dylanjaygrobbelaarb16_ESO · July 2016

GaldorP wrote: »

Going to shamelessly repost my suggestion for a token system here (add tokens as a new currency; send mail with reward tokens attached to player when the VMSA is completed; add NPC with token shop; add container items and complete items to shop; done):

How players could obtain tokens:

GaldorP wrote: »

- 10 tokens for each completion of Veteran Maelstrom Arena + up to 10 bonus tokens depending on how good your score was:
Completion with no score (not in one go): 10 tokens

Completion in one go with score below 75'000: 12 tokens

Score of 75'000-149'999: 14 tokens

Score of 150'000-224'999: 16 tokens

Score of 225'000-299'999: 18 tokens

Score of 300'000 or higher: 20 tokens

Rewards that could be purchased with tokens:

GaldorP wrote: »

Turn in 10 tokens for a bound container item with the same RNG mechanics the final chest in VMSA has now (for those who like to gamble).

Turn in 200* tokens for a bound container item that includes a Maelstrom Weapon with the type of your choice (for example one-handed axe or bow or inferno staff) but with a random trait (for those who like to gamble a bit less; this requires between 10 and 20 completions of VMSA depending on the player's scores).

Turn in 1'200** tokens for a Maelstrom Weapon of your choice (you get to choose the weapon type and trait) (for those who want a guaranteed reward they desire; this requires between 60 and 120 completions of VMSA depending on the player's scores).

* in DB there will be a 50% chance to get a Maelstrom Weapon from the final chest and there's 10 different weapon types for Maelstrom Weapons if I'm not mistaken -> 1/20 chance to get a weapon of a specific type.
** Assuming that Maelstrom Weapons can have 6 different traits in DB, the chance to get the Maelstrom Weapon you want with the trait you want from the final chest is 1/120.

More/other rewards that can be bought with tokens or possibly other ways to earn tokens could be added at any point in a later update if needed.

I also think that all normal set items obtained from Maelstrom Arena chests (not the Maelstrom Weapons!) should really be tradable (bind on equip).

well based on the way ap vendors are, they would implement tokens to purchace boxes wich still rng your gear anyway

in pvp next update is going from the worst thing ive ever seen: all light/medium/heavy/weapon/jewel sets in the same respective box + on top of that, the box isnt even guaranteed to drop a set piece in the first place!wtf
their "big improvement" is: each set has its own box, but NO separate boxes for jewels and weapons so all one box + trait rng

and we are supposed to be grateful just because it dosent drop non set decon trash 70% of the time.
updated gear is a nice idea but what a terrible *** loot system if you hate the prospect of using it at all.

XaXa · July 2016

Made it slot 99 on the leaderboards. hurray for barley making it.

Oh I also got a sweet sword and board.

Thanks ZOS.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom

SanTii.92 · July 2016

With the current huge amount of undesirable weapon and trait combinations, we should at least get a weapon per run. And this is from someone who actually enjoys the arena.

Akimbro · July 2016

Confirmed again. Another 4 runs this week, all rings.

ArtOfShred · July 2016

Pretty good weapon droprate today (3/5 runs), all two-handed... then you see the trait:

So frustrating, these are all completely worthless to me.

tist · July 2016

10th run weapon. Nirnoned resto staff. Feelsbad

boggie · July 2016

Spent a good chunk of my day bashing my head against the final boss on my stamblade (still haven't gotten him down)... then I see this thread and ask myself why I even bother.

SanTii.92 · July 2016

Akimbro wrote: »

Confirmed again. Another 4 runs this week, all rings.

Three runs just tonight, all rings. Flat out broken. Would be nice to have a confirmation if this is working as intended or not.

DRXHarbinger · July 2016

Weekly rewards. Not joking here.

Nirnhoned lightening staff.

Powered inferno.

Precise ice.

2 sharpened mauls.

Over and out goodbye vma.

Asmael · July 2016

I was running vMA on my sorc (after farming Willpower. 2 out of 15 jewelry being Arcane, reminds you of something?).

At round 6 I died once, not too surprising, never a good idea to run it with less than 18k health, but...

I thought about the last 20 runs I had on my mag DK. yes, 20 runs I did since DB.

I remembered I didn't have a single useful drop, and yet I'm looking for quite a few (Precise or sharpened axe, inferno or lightning staff, precise resto staff, hell, even precise dagger).

I just quit. No point doing it for the loot, so I just gave up on it. Never came back to vMA since that day, and not doign it again till the leaderboard reset.

Ch4mpTW · July 2016

Asmael wrote: »

I was running vMA on my sorc (after farming Willpower. 2 out of 15 jewelry being Arcane, reminds you of something?).

At round 6 I died once, not too surprising, never a good idea to run it with less than 18k health, but...

I thought about the last 20 runs I had on my mag DK. yes, 20 runs I did since DB.

I remembered I didn't have a single useful drop, and yet I'm looking for quite a few (Precise or sharpened axe, inferno or lightning staff, precise resto staff, hell, even precise dagger).

I just quit. No point doing it for the loot, so I just gave up on it. Never came back to vMA since that day, and not doign it again till the leaderboard reset.

@Asmael
I see you've reached the "enlightenment" many of us VMA grinders have reached. Kudos to you for obtaining it. I still do VMA here and there, but no longer is it my main focus. The dream of VMA died for me weeks ago. But, it is what it is.

@ZOS_Finn @Wrobel I highly advise you take a look at this thread. It's comments should be highly insightful to you all, and the rest of you in charge of RNG and loot.

Draxys · July 2016

DRXHarbinger wrote: »

Weekly rewards. Not joking here.

Nirnhoned lightening staff.

Powered inferno.

Precise ice.

2 sharpened mauls.

Over and out goodbye vma.

GG blizzard. I finally got my winterborn pants last night, so I'm out too, good riddance

DRXHarbinger · July 2016

Draxys wrote: »

DRXHarbinger wrote: »

Weekly rewards. Not joking here.

Nirnhoned lightening staff.

Powered inferno.

Precise ice.

2 sharpened mauls.

Over and out goodbye vma.

GG blizzard. I finally got my winterborn pants last night, so I'm out too, good riddance

Good man. If you have a maelstrom ice staff blockade works quite well with that set. It's the only real set up I've found to work with it and ice comet.

PurifedBladez · July 2016

Yeah I'm not doing this anymore literally sucking the fun out of the game. No weapon drops I realize I did just complete vma a couple days ago but, I've been running it since then and, I hate it lol. 5+ runs with nothing I can use is enough for me. I can appreciate the difficulty to an extent but, they've managed to make something that I consider to be one of the most unsatisfactory things I've ever done in a video game ever.

DRXHarbinger · July 2016

PurifedBladez wrote: »

Yeah I'm not doing this anymore literally sucking the fun out of the game. No weapon drops I realize I did just complete vma a couple days ago but, I've been running it since then and, I hate it lol. 5+ runs with nothing I can use is enough for me. I can appreciate the difficulty to an extent but, they've managed to make something that I consider to be one of the most unsatisfactory things I've ever done in a video game ever.

+1 VMA is not fun or enjoyable at all. It's just a tedious stress inducing time sink. That has very very little rewards. Bar this morning 5 BIS weekly arrivals I've been plagued with crap for 7 months solid. Whilst all my friends were out running around spamming Blockade of fire to show them off.

tinythinker · July 2016

The icing on the cake is that since the gear is BoP and good loot so rare for the effort involved, ZOS will eventually start dropping set pieces in other content outside of (V)MA, except probably weapons. So then the folks who spent weeks/months farming that Winterborn set or whatever will see people getting it as rewards for the Wrothgar world boss quests. Or maybe they will be added to the AP vendor in Cyro. Perhaps both.

If you think this isn't likely, look at ICP and WGT. ZOS looked at the numbers and said, "We can't sell this and have so few people completing it", so they nerfed those dungeons. Now, you have what, three sets, locked in VMA if you want a real chance for C160 gear? And even dedicated hard core players run for weeks/months to get the pieces they need. ZOS won't want to nerf VMA after all of the crowing about how it's there for the players who want a real challenge, so the other options are to make the sets (not talking the weapon here) BoE or give a small chance to get them elsewhere or to buy them for AP.

If they do BoE for all but VMA weapons, then like other similar content such as DSA/trials they create a market and those who run VMA a lot can be rewarded with high selling prices for even their junk trait items at VR16. The weapons would still be only for those who run the arena as a trophy to show off. Basically ZOS just brings VMA in line with other end-game activities.

If VR16 set pieces from VMA get a small chance to drop each round form normal VMA or from Wrothgar World Boss quest rewards, but they're still BoP, it will take those folks much, much longer to get what they want than running VMA and after getting a few pieces that coudl tempt them into trying VMA for better drop rates. And more people will run the other content as well (normal MA and world bosses) even at a low drop rate, which will be important as more and more DLC comes out and ZOS needs a way to lure people back to Orsinium/encourage them to buy the old DLC.

neville_bart0s · July 2016

VMA ruined this game for me.

it isnt fun, it is frustrating.

dagonbeer · July 2016

I actually enjoyed vMA. I think it's very well designed except for the length; I was never good enough to complete it in less than an hour, and having to commit 1:10-1:20 hour-ish for solo content is a high ask.

That was before DB anyway. However well designed a dungeon might be, you also need the reward side to be proportionate to the effort. I stopped doing vMA after my 6 post-DB weapons were a useless selection of charged, infused and powered. Not only do we get a variety of useless traits introduced to the loot table, sharpened has been buffed so much that it is now the only viable weapon trait in most cases (whereas precise wasn't so bad before.) Waste of time to run vMA now.

SanTii.92 · July 2016

@tinythinker no one cares about any of the six sets from vma. Those are terrible

sirrmattus · July 2016

doesnt make sense why these peice of *** jewelries are even rewards

tinythinker · July 2016

sAnn92 wrote: »

@tinythinker no one cares about any of the six sets from vma. Those are terrible

Some people do farm them for specific builds. But in any case they aren't popular enough to be locked in VMA, which is why I figure they will pop up in other ways eventually.

code65536 · July 2016

@ZOS_Finn Are you sure the drop rate on weapons is 50% after the DB update? I have run it about 10 times since the update and got just two weapons of any sort. Either I (and a lot of other people) have horrible luck, or you guys forgot to increase the drop rate.

XaXa · July 2016

Got to move my tower while we lay down new tile -.- and wont be able to play again for a bit.

About to do a run for the LB and hopefully get my staff. Im not holding my breath.

@ZOS_GinaBruno. @ZOS_JessicaFolsom

Please i am litterally begging you to check the drop rate.

ButtersEP · July 2016

I've only received jewerly from the chests since db, only weapons I have received are from the rewards

XaXa · July 2016

Run I just did was probably the longest due to all the disconnects, lag, games crap collision detection system, skills not firing at all (majority of the 6th stage boss was done with medium attacks only since nothing on my skill bar wanted to fire)

my reward for suffering through ZoS BS? a sword and board. Decisive and Sturdy.

@ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_JessicaFolsom @ZOS_KaiSchober @ZOS_GaryA @Wrobel @ZOS_AlanG

This game is broken. PLEASE give us some insight. I have a log. this was my 70th run. I have never seen a desto staff regardless of element or trait.

I don't know how much longer I can do this. It isn't fun, Its ruining this game to the point where I actually look or excuses not to play.

PLEASE ZOS.